Keeping Healthy: Summer Grilling

It's that distinct sizzle and smell that signals summertime.  Memorial Day to Labor Day is otherwise known as grilling season. But before you get out your tongs and spatula again - we have some warnings about hidden grilling dangers.  Beware of foodborne illness.

"That is something you can't taste, you can't see. But just because it's something that is invisible it doesn't exist. And it is really dangerous," says Health and Wellness consultant Pat Salzer.  "It can go from mild to deadly--it's something you don't want to gamble with"

Salzer says the easiest ways to prevent FBI are proper hand-washing, and separating cooked meat and raw meat from each other and everything else. It seems simple enough, but Salzer says those are easy mistakes to make.  And they aren't the only. How many of us defrost meat on the kitchen counter? Salzer says that's not the best idea.

"If it's defrosted at room temperature it's in that danger zone of temperatures so the best way to defrost is in the refrigerator. If you do defrost in the microwave, with that, the meat starts to cook, so you need to immediately start cooking it."

It takes some planning ahead, but worth it to prevent any chances of FBI. She says you can defrost it under running cold water, but the refrigerator is best.  And it's often thought that you need to clean the meat before it's cooked.

"What you really need to clean is your hands, and the cutting board and knife and the kitchen counter and the shelves in the refrigerator," says Salzer.

 Also, make sure the meat is cooked to a healthy temperature before serving.  She says, "you can't tell by looking at food necessarily if it's cooked to the proper temperature so a food thermometer is the best thing to have."

One last tip to ensure that your barbeque goes off without a hitch - and trip to the doctor - don't leave meat,  potato salad and other food baking in the sun.